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DAILY
CLASS NOTES
Political Science & International
Relations
Lecture - 56
FASCISM
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Fascism
This is a philosophy that gives importance to the State.
Meaning of Fascism:
Fascism refers to the socioeconomic and political system which was established in
Italy in 1922. The prototype of fascism was established in Germany under Witter in
1933. The other variants of fascism are: -
Salazarism of Portugal
Gaullism in France
Peronism in Argentina
Nature of fascism:
This ideology gives the topmost importance to the nation-state. According to it,
nothing is outside the state, nothing is beyond the state and nothing is against the
state. Fascism represents an extreme type of collectivism.
Fascism replaces liberty, equality and fraternity with order, authority and justice. In
fascism, there is no place for opposition.
Democracy is seen as a luxury of rich nations.
It is based on cultural nationalism and expansionist nationalism. Fascists were anti-
communists.
A fascist state is a corporat e state where the state is itself capitalist.
It was a reactionary ideology. vIt gives traditional roles to women. According to
Mussolini “War is to men what maternity is to women”.
Fascism believes in Elitism.
Intellectual Roots of Fascism:
Plato: Karl Popper calls Plato the first fascist thinker. Plato completely subordinates
individuals for the sake of the state.
Hegel: He has established that the state is to march of God on earth".
Machiavelli: Separation of ethics from politics.
Soren: Justification of violence and the theory of myths.
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Nietzsche: According to Nietzsche, God is dead and we need supermen.
Schopenhauer: He justifies "Anti-intellectualism."
Darwin: The process of "natural selection".
Herbert Spencer: "Survival of the fittest"
The above scholars were the source of impetus for the official philosophers of fascism
and Nazism."
As such "the philosophy of fascism is written by Mussolini himself.
Rocco was another person who gave the political doctrine of fascism.
Difference but Fascism and Nazism
In Nazism, Race is ultimate whereas in fascism, State is ultimate.
Criticism of fascism
It was criticized by both Liberals as well as Marxists. Liberals linked fascism with
communism and both were put under a single category. From the Liberal angle,
both of their systems are based on the exploitation of individuals. They do not give
importance to liberty, both of them are Sustained by violence and ideology.
Communist scholars equate fascism with capitalism. They believed that it served the
interests of capitalists. For Communists, fascism is the worst manifestation of
capitalism. Fascism is the last attempt made by Capitalists to save capitalism.
Fascism was treated as anti-internationalism, anti-humanity etc.
